The Holy War – John Bunyan

and for an escutcheon, he had the book of the law wide open [from whence
issued a flame of fire]--'Hear, O Mansoul! Thou, O Mansoul, wast once
famous for innocency, but now thou art degenerated into lies and deceit
(Rom 3:3,10-23, 16:17,18). Thou hast heard what my brother the Captain
Boanerges hath said; and it is your wisdom, and will be your happiness, to
stoop to, and accept of, conditions of peace and mercy when offered;
especially when offered by one against whom thou hast rebelled, and one
who is of power to tear thee in pieces, for so is Shaddai our King; nor, when
he is angry, can anything stand before him (Psa 1:21,22). If you say you have
not sinned, nor acted rebellion against our King, the whole of your doings,
since the day that you cast off his service--and there was the beginning of
your sin--will sufficiently testify against you. What else means your
hearkening to the tyrant, and your receiving him for your king? What means
else your rejecting of the laws of Shaddai, and your obeying of Diabolus?
Yea, what means this your taking up of arms against, and the shutting of
your gates upon us, the faithful servants of your King? Be ruled then, and
accept of my brother's invitation, and overstand not the time of mercy, but
agree with thine adversary quickly Luke 12:58,59). Ah, Mansoul, suffer not
thyself to be kept from mercy, and to be run into a thousand miseries, by the
flattering wiles of Diabolus. Perhaps that piece of deceit may attempt to
make you believe that we seek our own profit in this our service;[16] but
know, it is obedience to our King, and love to your happiness, that is the
cause of this undertaking of ours.
'Again, I say to thee, O Mansoul, consider if it be not amazing grace that
Shaddai should so humble himself as he doth. Now he, by us reasons with
you, in a way of entreaty and sweet persuasions, that you would subject
yourselves to him. Has he that need of you, that we are sure you have of
him? No, no; but he is merciful, and will not that Mansoul should die, but
turn to him and live' (2 Cor 5:18-21).
Then stood forth Captain Judgment, whose was the red colours, and for
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